ANOTHER group has thrown its weight behind moves to name Southampton International Airport's terminal building after Spitfire designer RJ Mitchell.

Members of the Southampton International Airport Consult-ative Committee have backed calls to recognise the achievements of the famous designer, whose revolutionary aircraft helped change the course of the Second World War.

As reported by the Daily Echo, Southampton City Council has already written to the British Airports Authority to campaign for the terminal to be named after Mitchell, whose fighter plane prototype first took off from the airstrip in 1936.

The City Council has also revealed it is to discuss whether to rename Itchen toll bridge Spitfire Bridge.

Renaming the airport terminal is a move which was greeted with delight by the designer's son, Gordon Mitchell, now 84, who lives near Cheltenham.

He said: "Eastleigh is very important, because the first flight of the Spitfire took place from there.

"I would be very pleased if they named the terminal as a commemoration to my father."

The airport consultative committee has supported the idea, although no formal vote was taken.

Eastleigh councillor Colin Davidovitz added: "It would be most appropriate, given the connection there is between this particular airport and the Spitfire, that we unanimously support naming the terminal RJ Mitchell."

Eastleigh Labour group leader Councillor Peter Luffman wants to go even further.

He said: "Eastleigh airport should actually be called after Mitchell and not after Southampton."

Airport boss David Cumming told the committee: "We will go away and make a decision, bearing in mind the view we have had from this committee and others."